Inspirational Weekend - "What About Love?" (Animal Photographs, Bird Photographs, Famous Quotes, Animal Video)

"Since love grows within you, so beauty grows.  For love is the beauty of the soul."  - Augustine

Loving Spoonbills

Happy weekend to you !  This inspirational weekend post will be a little different as I will mostly use quotes from famous people ..... quotes about love, along with my photographs and a video about how animals can express love.

Most people were raised in a loving and demonstrative family.  Count your blessings !

Meerkat Family

Lesser Flamingo Family

"The world does not understand theology or dogma, but it understands love and sympathy."  -  Dwight L. Moody.     

"Faith makes all things possible....love makes all things easy."  - Dwight L. Moody

"Do not waste time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor; act as if you did.  As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets.   When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him."  - C. S. Lewis

"Neighbors"

"What does love look like?  It has the hands to help others.  It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy.  It has eyes to see misery and want.  It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.  That is what love looks like."  -  Augustine

"The world is not a play-ground.  It is a school-room.  Life is not a holiday, but an education.  And the one eternal lesson for us all is how better can we love."  -  Henry Drummond

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us."  -  C. S. Lewis

Below is a video (not mine) showing love between animals:

Below is a photograph (not mine) for humor:

Scripture says:

Matthew 22:37-40=   Jesus said unto him,  Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Inspirational Weekend - "Peace" (Photographs and Relaxing Videos)

"Thou wilt enjoy tranquility if thy heart condemn thee not." - Thomas A. Kempis

I got this peaceful photograph from the internet; baby animals are so innocent, but then they don't understand the difference between good and bad for the most part.   When corrected by us humans, they can, however, show guilt at times as all pet owners can attest to.    

The subject of peace for this blog post came to me by gentle prodding; I had originally intended another subject entirely.   Enjoy some peaceful photographs of mine as we take a refreshing break.

There is something soothing about water lilies in a pond; and when there are koi present, it is relaxing to watch them swim about among the lilies and other vegetation.   There is something special about beautiful flowers and even sleepy flamingos.   Nature can be a healer; it can take you from the hustle and bustle of this busy and sometimes frantic world and it can also remind you of your Creator and put things into proper perspective, if you let it.  After all, a closeness with the Lord is where true peace can be found.   As C. S. Lewis said, "God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing."

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee."   - Isaiah 26:3

Below is a beautiful video with soft classical music to start your happy weekend

Another video this time of wildlife at Yellowstone National Park:

The above photographs and videos are peaceful and positive, which we should always try to be.  They are guaranteed to relax you and put you in remembrance of God's awesomeness in His creation.    

However, we  need to keep in mind what Francois Fenelon said, " Peace does not dwell in outward things, but within the soul; we may preserve it in the midst of the bitterest pain, if our will remains firm and submissive.  Peace in this life springs from acquiescence to, not in an exemption from suffering."

A peaceful baby bear photo (not mine) for humor:

Scripture says:

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  - John 14:27

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation:  but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  -  John 16:33